The New Imperialism 1875-1914

What’s “New” Time pd.: after 1875 Focused on Africa and Asia, not Americas New industrial technologies gave Western nations the ability to dominate the globe

Political Factors Age of Nationalism increased rivalries among Western countries These rivalries were transmitted throughout the globe “Colonies for colonies’ sake”(?)

Economic Motivations Growth of the global economy accelerated the expansion of imperialism The industrialized world sought new sources of raw materials and new markets for its products

Social Factors Social Darwinism was used to justify the conquest of “backward” peoples Missionaries wanted to spread “Christian civilization” European medicine and technology would benefit the non-industrialized world

Africa and the New Imperialism

The Berlin Conference By 1880, many European powers were interested in establishing colonial empires in Africa Conference of Berlin in 1885 drafted a code to determine how the partition of Africa should proceed

European countries that had holdings on the African coast had first rights to the interior Those countries had to maintain a real presence in the areas they claimed The “Scramble for Africa” began

By 1900, the only independent countries that remained were Ethiopia and Liberia “I would annex the planets if I could”-C. Rhodes